Yeah, basically this. Watching them trying to get through 9 players crowded into a box was painful because it was so crowded - I couldn't see how it was going to happen even if we'd had Messi, Aguero and Ronaldo other than from a long shot (such as Fonte's).
We played well but someone needs to have a go, not look for the next pass. On another note, not quite as important here but another clean sheet.
10 days until the next game, Schneiderlin should be back for the next game too. Anyone know when Long is due back?
I noticed trixters thread was immediately deleted......well done mods a troll and a wum if I have ever seen one.
I didn't say it was a peace of cake. I said I thought our attempts to do so were poor (not to use a stronger word). Infinite crosses by Tadić which every time inevitably hit Tomkins , or using Yoshida as a main creative outlet in the team (not faulting him here) didn't strike me as a really good way to break them down.
Yep, it's disappointing as many have said, but it really is just a case of not quite getting the rub of the green over a small sample size of games. While we've gone 1W-1D-1L over the last three games with only 1 scored and 1 conceded, we have in fact battered our opposition with 52 shots for v 22 against, and 18 shots on target for (34.6% of shots) v 5 against (22.7% of shots). It's not easy to break down teams that don't come to play, and while we could be a little more clinical we are at least dominating the play, and in complete control of the defensive and middle thirds of the park. On average, 30% of shots on target are scored, and if that'd been the case over the last 3 games we'd have scored 5.4 and let in 1.5 (+3.9 GD). Keep playing like this, particularly with players coming back and we'll stay right in the shake up.
Actually the only little thing that concerned me a touch in this game (and has been for a couple of games now) was our inability again to get our head on the ball from crosses. When we're playing with two wide/inside forward speedsters we're getting a lot of long and short crosses in from wide, but there's not really an awful lot of connecting with these, either due to the quality of cross, or the way (Pelle especially) is attacking the ball. There was Yoshi's header, a glancer from Pelle and also the overhead...but I'd like to see more aggressive attacking of the ball. But that is absolutely the only thing (and I think another sign that GP is a bit weary right now).
Just to put my view in perspective because I rarely show when I'm disappointed. I was completely happy with Saints from a defensive point of view. I was never remotely apprehensive that we'd concede. It was our attacking game I was disappointed with. We were relatively slow and sometimes predictable. We also began to show an almost Arsenal-like tendency to not want to shoot. It's a point and it's 4th place and clear, but I'm disappointed because we haven't done justice to our ability. The full backs didn't get forward often either, and I would have expected better from Clyne. No Bertrand, no score.
In fairness, I actually thought Yoshi did a stellar job today considering he was playing out of position. (I wouldn't put him there ahead of the other two, of course, but he deserves a lot of credit).
Absolute ****e , we had the 3 points practically gifted to us when Carroll got injured with 15 mins left. Why the **** do we keep pumping it long from central areas 50 yards from goal when it's basically 11 vs 9. Work the ball wide get to the by line, use width. It's so basic. They were so deepand we were just playing into their hands. Tadic should have been on the left straight away and was only put there as an after thought in the 89th minute at which point we were completely ignoring tadic, Jwp and just pumping it long. So frustrating. We just needed more patience. Also those calling to rotate pelle aren't looking so silly now either. We will not get a better chance to pick up a win against the top 8
Please don't reply to you-know-who. Everything he posts will be deleted until we can reinstate his ban.
If so, I do so hope that we go 3-5-2, possibly with Mane and another quick player up top. We're not likely to dominate possession against Liverpool, but they're very vulnerable if one can get their defense moving.
I'm not as disappointed as I thought I would be with a point. Yes it was very frustrating but it was always going to be difficult when they went on the ultra defensive. Let's stuff Liverpool instead COYR
